This little green leaf means your ad was powered by renewable energy

Adtech company Viant today released a new carbon label for digital advertising.

The label, which appears as a small green leaf in the corner of the ad (similar to the AdChoices label), informs viewers that the ad was powered by renewable energy as part of Viant’s Adtricity sustainability program, which launched in February 2023. Under Viant purchases renewable energy credits (RECs) corresponding to the amount of energy used while the ad is displayed.

“The carbon label is intended to (provide) transparency to the consumer… that the advertising is powered entirely by renewable energy and that getting that message across has no greenhouse gas emissions,” said Tim Vanderhook, co-founder and CEO of Viant. “This will appeal to both the buy side and the sell side.”

Viant works with Scope3 to measure emissions by channel and view level, and then neutralizes this footprint by purchasing REC units.

Clients can opt in or out of the Adtricity Supply Decarbonization Initiative, and last year about a dozen clients chose to neutralize their ad buys through Viant’s DSP, including agency Novus Media, which represents brands such as Family Dollar and Valvoline.

“Viant has demonstrated exceptional innovation and leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in digital advertising,” Rob Davis, president and chief marketing officer at Novus Media, said in a statement. “Starting by converting customer utility investments into renewable energy credits, Viant has expanded its operations to address the decarbonization of its entire supply chain.”

Go carbon neutral

From 2023, Viant will be carbon neutral across all three of its businesses thanks to its investment in REC. This means it has no impact on the greenhouse gas emissions of its 3 brand partners – Vanderhook hopes this will become a competitive advantage as climate regulations tighten and the need to reduce emissions across the board becomes more predictable.

(Scope 1 emissions refer to emissions produced by items the company owns or controls, Scope 2 emissions relate to emissions produced by purchased heat and electricity, and Scope 3 emissions are generated by the company’s supply chain, employees, product use or his end of life.)

“Brands seem to be slow to prioritize sustainability efforts through paid media,” Dave Kersey, chief media officer at GSD&M, told ADWEEK. “Perhaps Viant’s efforts will provide more exposure and relevance for brands to consider their role in this from a paid perspective.”